Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 75%
Simulated
A patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon an assessment that the patient is hyperventilating. The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the MOST common cause of which acid-base imbalance?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
Hyperventilation causes excessive loss of carbon dioxide, leading to decreased PaCO2 and increased blood pH, resulting in respiratory alkalosis.